


Newbie

by wildewit



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: BDSM, Happy Ending, M/M, Misunderstandings, Not Beta Read, Oblivious, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:07:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28767561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildewit/pseuds/wildewit
Summary: Nicky wants to explore subbing again after having a bad experience. He meets Joe, gentle, kind, patient and sub like him at a club. Joe takes him under his wing. Nicky thinks Joe is helping ease him in as a "fellow sub". Joe is helping Nicky, but wouldn't mind more with him. This is how these two find their way to each other.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 28
Kudos: 155
Collections: D/s JoeNicky Event





	Newbie

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Brief mention of Nicky's bad experience with a dom. It's not detailed, and Nicky gets out of it before anything happens through minor violence. 
> 
> I'm not sure this is Mature, but putting that rating up to be safe. 
> 
> I do not have any experience in the world of BDSM beyond what's on the Internet (and we all know how reliable that is). My intention is to be respectful, so please let me know if I got something wrong.
> 
> Unbetaed, so read at your own risk. 
> 
> Also, a million thanks to my discord pals for their encouraging words! :) Peer pressure works XD

Nicky knew how people saw him—sweet, shy, innocent. But he could hold his own.

Granted his first try at being a submissive has backfired, but he’d managed to get himself out of the situation by shouting his safeword, and then head butting Keane—that dick of a dom—right in his probably tiny nuts. Ugh, calling him a bastard would be an insult to bastards.

Luckily his apartment move had him living next door to Nile, the most amazing woman, best friend, and cookie maker in the world. To think they’d only known each other for 7 months. Too much wine and Nicky’s experience with dick dom came pouring out one night. Nile, goddess of cookies gave him a hug and encouraged him to try again.

A week later, she gave him the address of a BDSM club. And another week after that, Nicky stood outside wiping his sweaty palms on his too tight jeans.

***

Joe loved newbie night. Quynh rolled her eyes at him whenever he called it that, but she thought it was funny too.

The monthly open night at Labrys was Joe’s idea to help people try out the club whether they were into BDSM or not or questioning or curious. They seemed to be getting popular too.

Because it was his idea, he was usually front and centre with Quynh supporting.

It was the fifth open night when a literal angel walked in the door. He was perfection given human form—pale skin, lean form, the prettiest blue-grey-green eyes, a lovely nose, and lips that were meant for the holiest, dirtiest things.

Joe had to talk to him.

***

“Hello, I’m Joe. Welcome to Labrys! Would you like a guided tour or would you prefer to explore on your own?” Joe asked.

Nicky looked at the handsome person talking to him and promptly blushed.

“Er … um … I w-would like a tour please?” Nicky said, figuring someone stuck with showing newbies around was probably a sub like him. God, he was gorgeous—sweet honey tea eyes in face framed by a well maintained beard. And luxurious curls that Nicky wanted to fall into and get lost. If only he was a dom, Nicky thought. 

***

Joe and Nicky seemed to connect at a subliminal level even as they walked to various areas in the club—the bar, the alcoves, the show area, the dungeons.

Nicky’s blush didn’t quite fade the entire time, but Joe’s openness to questions and kindness in explaining everything clearly and in detail made Nicky feel so safe he forgot that he was talking about really kinky stuff with a near stranger. Well, he doesn't feel like a stranger. 

As the tour of the club came to an end, Joe offered Nicky his number in case he has more questions or just wanted to chat. And Nicky couldn’t get his number fast enough. Getting advice and being able to discuss how to safely wade into the world BDSM with an experienced sub like Joe would be a wonderful opportunity for Nicky.

They set up a time to get coffee in a week.

“It’s a date,” Joe said and winked at Nicky. And Nicky just laughed and shook his head. Joe really was lovely. 

***

They started meeting for coffee once a week, but they had so much in common that coffee once a week and about a hundred texts in between were not enough.

A month into their coffee get togethers, Joe invited Nicky to his place for a cooking session.

“We both love to cook, so why are we wasting money in cafes?” Joe asked, and Nicky thought cooking together sounded like fun.

That’s how they started hanging out at each other’s apartments and cooking, reading, watching TV, snuggling, and sleeping together. Well, not sleeping together sleeping together, Nicky thought. God, if only Joe was a dom.

Learning more about the BDSM world from someone like Joe had been eye-opening for Nicky. Joe obviously loved it. The way he described the joy of surrender made Nicky choke up. The way he thought that the power lay with the sub was illuminating.

“A sub is so powerful, Nicky. He has the strength to hold the weight of the dom’s desire to give the sub everything. People think doms have all the control, but really it is the sub who permits the dom to explore. Subs are … with each strike of the whip or twist of the rope around their wrists, they make the choice to let the dom elevate their mutual pleasure. Never mistake surrender for weakness, Nicky. It is the greatest gift of all.” Joe’s eyes were shining with love and conviction as he finished his ode to subbing.

Nicky found his own eyes filling as he could see in Joe’s eyes the joy one could find in the act of submission.

“That was beautiful, Joe,” he said. “Thanks.”

***

Six months into their acquaintance, Nicky felt he was ready to try again.

As he whined for the eleventy millionth time about how he wished Joe was a dom to Nile, she told him to just ask if Joe would consider dominating him.

“That’s not how it works, Nile. Once you meet him you’ll understand. He’s the sweetest, kindest, gentlest man who speaks in poetry. And he loves subbing, so asking him to show me the ropes wouldn’t work. Stop laughing, Nile, I didn’t mean show me the ropes like that … Nile!” Nicky whined.

“OK fine. If he’s an experienced sub, then maybe he can suggest a good dom for you. He’s co-owner of the club, right? He must know people,” Nile said.

“That’s a great idea, Nile! What would I do without you, goddess?” Nicky asked as he tackle hugged Nile.

“Ugh, get off me, di Genova,” Nile laughed.

***

Nicky was excited throughout dinner. He wanted to get to dessert and get Joe’s advice on who could dom Nicky over his pistachio biscotti dipped in Joe’s mint tea.

“Joe, you’ve been so amazing and kind and patient with me these past few months. No, don’t shake your head at me. You have. Thanks to your encouragement … I … I think I’m ready to try subbing again,” Nicky managed to get out.

Joe’s face softened and lit up. “I’m so happy to hear that, Nicky!”

Nicky blushed, smiled and ducked his head.

“Nicky’s blush-grin-head duck™, doms beware,” Joe teased and laughed gently. As he’s told Nicky, this was his secret weapon to decimate doms worldwide. Nicky shook his head at Joe’s antics.

“Be serious for a second, Joe! I’ve got something to ask you,” Nicky said. Joe sobered up, even as his eyes remained lit from within.

“Go ahead, Nicky,” Joe said, “I’m listening.”

“I was … would you … Could you may be suggest a dom for me?” Nicky asked, head still turned down, staring at his own fingers with nerves.

Silence.

Nicky looked up and Joe looked sad. No, not sad, devastated.

“Joe? Is everything OK?” Nicky asked.

Joe blinked and the shine in his eyes looked less like his usual kindness and more like hurt or anguish.

“I’m fine, Nicky. So a dom for you, yes?” Joe asked.

Nicky nodded, but he felt wrong-footed. Why did this feel like a mistake? 

“I just wondered if ... if you could connect me to a good dom, who would follow the rules and show me the ropes,” Nicky winked and tried to ease the atmosphere with the "ropes" line that Nile found hilarious.

But Joe just gave him a sad smile.

“Sure, I can connect you to a dom. My friend, Booker, he’s good. You two … would be a … a good fit,” Joe finished in a whisper.

Nicky didn’t know how to undo this, but Joe was helping him, had been helping him get to this point. So, why did he look so helpless and sad?

“OK. … OK. If you connect us, we can meet up for coffee sometime, and go from there,” Nicky said.

Joe nodded, but he seemed to not be able to meet Nicky’s eyes. Maybe he was worried that Nicky would leave him behind once he found a dom.

“And Joe … Joe, we’ll still hang out? We’ll still make dinner together OK? You’re my best friend, well after Nile, but still! I still have to teach you to make potato gnocchi,” Nicky said and smiled gently at Joe trying to pull him out of whatever headspace he’d gone into.

“Sounds good, Nicky.” Joe smiled, but it felt hollow.

Joe left soon after. The biscotti still sat in the kitchen, and the mint tea was over-brewed and bitter.

***

As promised, Joe had connected Nicky to Booker. There were a few confusing texts, but they eventually decided to meet for coffee.

Nicky was nervous. Joe had been distant the past couple of weeks, so Nicky was worried about him. He couldn’t ask Joe for tips for the meeting with his first time subbing because obviously Joe was going through something.

Maybe I should wait for whatever’s going on with Joe to blow over before trying subbing again, Nicky thought. I want to share the joy with him.

Someone stopped by the table, and Nicky looked up.

“Booker?” Nicky asked.

“You must be Nicky,” he said. Nicky nodded.

Booker was handsome even though his hair weren’t a bouncy bush of curls. He has some stubble instead of a lush beard. Oh my God, I need to stop comparing him to Joe, Nicky thought.

“So what’s going on? How can I help you? Joe didn’t say much just something about domming,” Booker asked.

That was a weird way to phrase a potential scene discussion, Nicky thought.

“Er … well, I … I’m hoping to do a scene? So I’m looking for a dom?” Nicky was so unsure about how this was going.

“So, why talk to me? Talk to Joe,” Booker said.

“I did,” Nicky said. “I asked Joe to suggest a dom, and he said you would help.”

“So you didn’t want Joe to be your dom?” Booker asked, looking confused. “What’s wrong with Joe’s domming?”

“What?” Nicky was more confused than ever before. “I’m a sub. I need a dom, which is why Joe connected us.”

“Joe didn’t want to dom you? You’re exactly his type though!,” Booker exclaimed.

“Joe’s a sub though,” Nicky was exasperated. “How can he dom me?”

Booker looked stunned. And then he burst out laughing.

“I’m sorry … sorry, did you say Joe’s a sub?” Booker was still chuckling. “Did he tell you that?”

“Well, no, but he’s so sweet and gentle and kind, and he talks so eloquently about submission,” Nicky said, sounding unsure even to his own ears. What if …

Booker literally facepalmed. Nicky was starting to get an idea of what he was going to say.

“Just because he’s gentle and kind and sweet and a puppy given human form in everyday life doesn’t mean he can’t be a dom, Nicky,” Booker said. “Joe’s a good dom, a great dom even. You shouldn’t let outward appearances guide you. Safe, sane, and consensual, right?”

Nicky nodded.

“That means you check instead of making assumptions, buddy, even assumptions about someone’s preference,” Booker said.

Nicky nodded again and felt both shame and hope rise in him.

“D-Do you think Joe … Would Joe be interested in someone like me?” Nicky mumbled his question. As much as it was a question for Booker, it was something Nicky wondered to himself too.

“What did I just say? Don’t make assumptions! Check. Check with him, not me,” Booker said. “But because he’s my friend and I’d like to help him—and you, you’re exactly his type.”

Nicky nods, smiles, mumbles a goodbye and rushes out the door.

Booker shakes his head and walks to the cash register.

“What can I get for you?” Nile asks.

***

Joe’s phone blows up as soon as he plugs in the power and turns it on.

There are 10 missed calls from Nicky, and 30 text messages of varying levels of coherence. There’s also a voice message.

“Joe? Joe, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please pick up. I … I need to talk to you. I made a mistake. And … and I need to talk to you. Call me, please? Or pick up? Please, Joe *muffled sob*”

Joe was officially worried. And instead of thinking like a rational human being and calling Nicky back, he just grabbed his wallet and keys and rushed to Nicky’s apartment.

***

Joe hadn’t answered any of his calls or texts. Nicky couldn’t believe he’d ruined an amazing friendship and what could have been so much more by being an idiot.

He’d been pacing in his apartment, trying to reach Joe all evening, when there was a knock at the door. Well, more like an attempt to break down the door.

“Nicky? Nicky, are you in there? Are you OK?” Joe sounded worried.

Nicky flung open the door. Joe was slightly damp from the drizzle that had started in the afternoon. He was also looking panicked.

“What? What happened?” Nicky asked.

“What happened? What do you mean, what happened?” Joe asked. “I saw the missed calls and your texts didn’t make sense. Your … your voicemail had me worried, Nicky. What’s going on?”

Nicky’s face crumpled. He’d been so careless with this beautiful man, and here he was worried about Nicky instead.

“Nicky you’re really worrying me. What’s going on?” Joe asked again.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Joe! I met with Booker today. And … and he …,” Nicky was trying to breathe and cry and talk at the same time, which wasn’t working well.

“What the fuck? I’m going to kill him. What’d he do, Nicky? Are you OK?” Joe looked worried and angry now.

“What? Oh no, no. Booker was nice. He asked me why I wanted him to dom me, and why I hadn’t asked you instead,” Nicky explained. “I told him that … that I am a sub and you’re a sub, so … so how can you dom me?”

“What?!” Joe asked, shocked. “You thought I was a sub?”

Nicky nodded.

“That’s why you didn’t ask me to scene with you?” Joe clarified.

Nicky nodded again.

“Oh my God! Nicky … I … I don’t know what to say,” Joe floundered.

Nicky felt lost too. How to move forward from here. Joe was still damp. Maybe I can offer him tea and conversation, Nicky thought.

“W-Why don’t you come in?” Nicky offered. “We can have tea, maybe? And talk?”

Joe nodded this time and walked in.

***

As Nicky made tea and Joe sat at the dining table, they both snuck glances at each other. The confusion and worry soon melted away to Nicky’s shy smiles and Joe’s adoring eyes.

Nicky poured the tea into a mug and brought it to Joe.

“Nicky, baby boy, why don’t you offer me the tea properly, hmm?” Joe wondered.

“Kneel.”

**Author's Note:**

> The potato gnocchi is a reference stolen from one of my favourite Joe x Nicky BDSM fics: second hand heart (no less beautiful) by silvyri (https://archiveofourown.org/works/26515744). A highly recommended read, but pay attention to the notes and warnings.


End file.
